Posts tagged: rates

A Beginner’s Guide To Hiring A Lawyer

business financial lawyerThere are many times in your life when you might require a lawyer. But, how do you hire the best one for the job? In today’s piece, I’ve written you a short guide on hiring legal representation:

Check Their Track Record

It can be hard to figure out whether or not you’re hiring the best lawyer possible. One easy way to determine this is if you check their track record. See how many cases they’ve won and lost over the years. Typically, the best lawyers will brag about their record. If they win more than they lose, you can bet they’ll let everyone know about it. It will be plastered all over their website to show off how good they are at their job. If you can’t find anything about their track record, then you should enquire. To put yourself in the best possible situation, you want a lawyer that wins the majority of their cases. It’s also important that you take their experience into account as well. You need someone with years of experience behind them, as this can help them get the result you need.

Look For Specialists

Different legal cases require a different type of legal representation. There are many types of lawyer that are best suited for particular legal needs. If you need help with a personal injury claim, then you should go to a personal injury lawyer. Should you require help with a will, then there are firms like Ronald Fletcher and Co. that specialise in this area. Different people have different legal needs; it’s important you find a specialist lawyer that fits your requirements. It doesn’t make sense to hire someone that rarely ventures into the legal field you need help in. When looking for lawyers, check what services they offer and whether or not they fit your case.

Always Check For ‘No Win No Fee’ Offers

I find it’s crucial that you look for a law firm that offers no win no fee on some of their cases. This means that if they don’t win, you won’t have to pay them a penny. You find these offers in most personal injury and negligence cases. I think it’s essential to look for this, as it can save you lots of money. No one wants to pay for a lawyer that ends up losing their case. By hiring someone on a no win no fee basis, you give yourself a bit of security.

Understand Your Budget

The final piece of advice I can give you is arguably the most important. It’s key that you understand your budget and don’t pay for more than you can afford. You must recognise that legal disputes can go on for a very long time. Overpaying for a lawyer can mean that you end up struggling for money.

There are many problems in life that can be solved with the help of a lawyer. It’s important you realise how to hire one correctly. Hire the wrong lawyer, and you could end up in a very bad financial situation.

4 Scenarios When You MUST Hire A Lawyer

law & attorneyThere is no doubt that there are negatives to hiring a lawyer. For one thing, they are very expensive. It is issues like this that make people believe they don’t need help when they are facing legal trouble. However, it is also this kind of thinking that gets those people into even more trouble. Lawyers are an essential part of your defense if you are going through legal proceedings because of their skill and knowledge. Below are the four scenarios when you need the more than most. If you ever find yourself in one of these situations, make your first call to your attorney.

1. A Messy Divorce

If the divorce is amicable, there might not be any need for a lawyer. Although some people would disagree, you can see the logic. But, when the divorce is a messy and contracted affair, legal representation is essential. For starters, law firms like Manassa, Stassen & Vaclavek, P.C. know where to look to find any loopholes. Divorces are like wars, and some people will go to any lengths to get what they want. Remember that when the deal is finalized, it is legally binding. Plus, they also act as your go between. Talking or mediating may be impossible if you don’t have a lawyer to pass on messages and communicate.

2. Wrongful Termination Suit

Thousands of people go to court every year to fight a suit of wrongful termination. The sad fact is that employers will take advantage of your lack of knowledge. They will do things that they know they shouldn’t if they can get away with them. Obviously, your lack of knowledge is a hindrance. But, that is where an attorney comes in handy. A specialist should know the legal terms inside and out, so they should be able to build a good case. Without them, it is unlikely that you will get your job back or get compensation.

3. A Criminal Charge

No one likes to think about going through criminal proceedings. But, if you have to, you need to know where to turn. The first and only place is a top lawyer. Again, there knowledge and experience are vital to building a good case and getting you off. However, there are other issues where they excel. They also take the stress off your shoulders and help you through the process unscarred. The main reason you need one, though, is because this is the biggest moment of your life. Do you want that hanging on your shoulders for the rest of your life?

4. Wills & Trusts

It is a sad state of affairs, but wills and trusts bring out the worst in people. There are numerous instances where people have manipulated dying victims into changing their wills, and it still goes on today. All you want is to make sure that the will is legitimate and that it goes to the right people. If you have a third-party lawyer on the case, you can be pretty pleased with the outcome whatever happens.

Ways to Improve Your Chances of Winning a Lawsuit

financial legal mattersWinning a lawsuit is a huge challenge, but it can be done as long as you have a good plan of action in place. It’s all about making sure that you are prepared for the challenge ahead before you even get started. Here are some top ways that will improve your chances of success.

Consider the Costs

Fighting a lawsuit is certainly not cheap, no matter which side of the court you’re on. So, you need to consider the costs beforehand. If you don’t think that you can afford to go ahead, don’t quit just yet. There are many charitable organisations and governments that can help people on low incomes to get justice. No one should have to accept not getting justice just because they’re not rich. And if you’re pursuing a personal injury claim, you might be able to get pre-settlement funding. This helps you to stay on top of the costs while the court case is still ongoing. It can be a huge help.

Get the Best Lawyer

There is always a temptation to not hire a lawyer. Many people think that they can represent themselves and succeed. But this is not the movies where the little guy beats the big guy. The chances are the person with the better lawyer will win the case. This is not always how it plays out, but it’s a bigger factor than most people realise. The best lawyer will be able to give you the expertise, experience and skills they have. When you have those things behind your case pushing it forward, your chances of success increase greatly. So, hire a lawyer that has dealt with cases that are similar to yours in the past. Look at their success rate too.

Get Evidence

If your case relies on you having to prove that another person did something, you need to have evidence to back up what you’re claiming. This is how many civil disputes work. If you are pursuing a personal injury claim because someone was responsible for an injury you sustained, evidence is vital. You need to have independent witnesses who can back up your claims. And you also need the testimony of the doctor who treated your injuries. If you don’t have those things, then it is simply your word vs your opponent’s. And that is always a risky gamble when you’re in court.

Prepare for Court

There are many things that can be daunting about appearing in court. Having to speak in front of a judge and present your case is not always the easiest thing in the world. That’s why preparation is so vitally important. You can never prepare too much. But you can definitely prepare too little. If you walk into the court without knowing exactly what the plan is and how you’re going to present your case, you’ll be in trouble. You don’t want to do this because it could jeopardise your entire case, and that’s not what you want. So, remain calm, and listen to all the advice that your lawyer gives you.

Why You Should Not Skip Renters Insurance

Renters insuranceRenting a home can have the same risks to an occupant as owning a home. And while homeowners insurance is definitely a requirement for anyone who owns a home, many people struggle with whether they really need renters’ insurance. And they most often aren’t sure whether they need it due to the cost of coverage.

Those who rent their homes often view the cost of renters insurance as another bill to add to those they already have to pay. For example, when moving into a new home, a tenant may have to pay first and last months’ rent, in addition to a security deposit and perhaps even deposits to initiate the turning on of utilities. And this is in addition to any moving costs the renter may have incurred. So the fact that there are many renters out there without insurance coverage is definitely understandable.

But what many renters don’t realize is how having insurance coverage can benefit them. In fact, the benefits of having coverage can far outweigh the costs that a renter may pay each month in order to be covered.

What Renters Insurance Protects

Many renters believe that the insurance coverage their landlord has will be enough to cover them. Not so. The coverage held by a landlord only covers the rental unit itself and the property the unit sits on. Their insurance will not cover any damage to your personal property. Without renters insurance coverage, any damage incurred to your belongings due to theft, vandalism, or something another tenant does to it will not be covered.

More Than One Option

What is listed as a definite benefit for most renters is that renters insurance is available at several different price levels. Flexible options mean that you as a tenant can choose the level of coverage that’s most affordable for you. With a policy, you can ensure that your property is protected and that you receive either full replacement cost or depreciated cash value, depending on the item or items damaged.

Don’t Be Underinsured

Having an inventory of the items you own is crucial in order not to be underinsured. Your policy’s rate will depend on the type and value of your items. Any inventory should include the price, condition and appraisals of items. Keeping all receipts for items you’ve purchased in a single and safe place will be crucial to getting any claims settled in a timely manner.

Liability protection is another type of coverage that every renter would do well to consider, which will usually cover up to 50% of the policy’s total value. As well, additional coverage can be purchased in order to protect you in the event that something happens to your home that requires you to move out for a temporary period of time. This will allow you to meet daily needs such as doing laundry and paying for temporary accommodations.

Limited Coverage

One disadvantage to many renters’ insurance policies is the amount of coverage you receive. It is true that the onus will be on the landlord where damage occurs to the rental dwelling itself. However, this coverage may not extend to the interior of your dwelling. And so checking your policy is crucial. If your landlord’s insurance only covers the outside of their property, then getting renters insurance will be important.

Another limit on renters insurance is water damage. Questioning your water damage coverage is definitely important. If water damage was caused from below the property where you are renting, then any damage will likely not be covered. But if the damage occurred from above, such as because of a leaky roof, then it’s likely to be covered.

When deciding on whether or not you need renters insurance, it’s important to remember that even a small number of possessions can quickly add up in terms of dollar value. And although you will have to pay a deductible before being reimbursed by an insurance company, having coverage will help you to replace your lost or damaged items more quickly and easily than if you had to do it all on your own.